I do not mean to criticize my fellow poster, but I would suggest you not listen to recommendations for New York record shops from a guy who lives in Denmark. I live in New York City. His first link starts off by listing a bunch of HMV shops. HMV has not been in New York for many years. I suspect many of the other listings at that site are defunct.

Academy Records is at 12 W. 18th Street and has a larger branch more oriented to rock in a nearby part of Brooklyn (Williamsburg) at 96 N. 6th St.

Other Music is at 15 E. 4th St.

For rock you should also try Permanent Records at 181 Franklin St., in the Greenpoint neighborhood in Brooklyn (maybe a 20 block walk from the subway). Also Bleecker Street Records at 239 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village.

You might also check out the book store chain Barnes and Noble in their Union Square or Lincoln Center locations.

Also check out http://www.yelp.com/nyc and type in "cds" or "records". You will find the results far more accurate and satisfying that the suggestions in the other web site.

From all to SM's posts it would seem that you need to find a way to get a ride to the Princeton Record Exchange in Jersey. You also might go over all of Stephen's blogs and make a list of all the stores he has visited.

Princeton is a bit of a hike, but worth it. All of Toussaint's suggestions are excellent. Other Music is one of my favorite places in the world. I was there just last night. And the night before.

Yes, I have a problem.

If you go to Other Music, you can stop by In Living Stereo, right next door.

There is also Hospital Productions, Tropicalia in Furs, A-1 Records, Good Records, and a couple of others I'm forgetting right now, all within walking distance. You can go for a little walk around the East Village and wind up broke, but with a lot of music.

Thx, everybody for the help. Already on my list: Other Music, Academy, Permanent Records and Jazz Record Center, I will be in Manhattan in the Upper West Side,I will be going Greenwich Village so that seems quite easy, going to Brooklyn might be a bit difficult (specially selling the idea to my wife), but I will try to find the way to do the hike to Permanent Records.